It’s finally official – Britney Spears and Demi Lovato have signed on as judges for The X Factor‘s second season. The announcement was made at the FOX Upfronts in New York today, confirming ongoing rumors that the resilient pop icon and Disney-star-turned-teen-diva were reportedly joining the show to replace last season’s judges Paula Abdul and Nicole Scherzinger. There have been a myriad of rumored celebrities that The X Factor had supposedly been considering (including Fergie, Avril Lavigne and Janet Jackson), but the show has finally settled on its two new female judges, who will sit alongside Simon Cowell and L.A. Reid.
“Well, we delivered,” declared Cowell when making the official announcement (according to The Hollywood Reporter). “Rumors are one thing – delivering is something else.” Cowell then confirmed all the rumors: “I’m thrilled to be able to confirm the return of L.A. Reid, the addition of Demi Lovato and the superstar Britney Spears.”
Cowell, who is also an executive producer of the show, said he’s “absolutely delighted” with Spears and Lovato. He called Spears “talented, fascinating,” and believes she “knows exactly how to spot the X Factor.” Cowell also touted Lovato as a “young, confident and enthusiastic” star who will help bring in a younger audience for the show. The ladies had their own praises to share — Spears says she “couldn’t be more excited” and that “Simon and L.A. better watch out!” (she also tweeted a photo of the four judges together). Lovato calls the opportunity “a dream come true.”
Spears’ deal with the show had been in the works for a while, and the star managed to earn a 15 million dollar deal. Spears didn’t sign the deal herself, however – her co-conservators, her father (Jamie Spears) and fiancé Jason Trawick signed in her name. According to The Hollywood Reporter, this didn’t leave much in the budget for Spears’ fellow judge Lovato, who clearly has less industry experience at the ripe age of 19.
The X Factor debuted in the U.S. last year, but failed to live up to Cowell’s expectations of 20 million viewers (it averaged about 12 million). Hopefully for Cowell, these two new judges will help bring in that audience. The producer/judge sounded extremely confident, saying, “I’m thrilled The Voice has decided to compete against us,” referring to NBC’s fall schedule, which will include its highly rated singing competition. While the four judges have been decided, The X Factor has yet to announce its new host, who will be replacing Steve Jones from last season.
(Images courtesy of WENN)
Staff Writer, BuddyTV
Jenn grew up in Ohio before moving to Seoul, Korea, where she attended international school and failed to learn Korean. From there she went on to earn a BA in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania before settling in Seattle, where she now spends too much time pondering the power of narrative in TV shows and novels. While she loves a good smart comedy (a la Community or Parks and Recreation), her favorite current show is Breaking Bad; all-time mentions include Arrested Development, Lost and Friends. When she’s not consuming television or literature, she’s savoring pastries and searching for the city’s ultimate sandwich.
